For clocks or watches using a crystal oscillator as a time-counting basis, the relationship between the crystal oscillator and a counter for outputting a time signal based on the number of basic signals (oscillation frequency) output from the crystal oscillator is important.
The basic signal sent from the crystal oscillator to the counter should be always kept at a constant cycle. As soon as it becomes impossible to keep this state, an error of the display time occurs.
Since, however, crystal oscillators are influenced by environment, for example, by temperature, humidity, and atmospheric pressure, highly accurate crystal materials are used as the basic signal oscillation source in high-quality clocks and watches, and, in addition, correction means, such as a gateway, for correcting the frequency of the basic signal is interposed between the crystal oscillator and the counter.
According to the conventional clocks or watches, however, high-accuracy crystal and incorporation of frequency correction means have increased the price of the clocks or watches. Therefore, these measures cannot be adopted in inexpensive clocks or watches. This renders the occurrence of a large time difference between the display time and the standard time unavoidable. The lower the price, the lower the accuracy of the clocks or watches.
When game machines are an object for use of the clock or watch, use of inexpensive clocks or watches is a precondition in view of the age of purchasers. The poor accuracy of the clock or watch, however, is in many cases a great hindrance to the development and expansion of game machines. The correction of an error, for example, by a method similar to winding of the stem is not an essential measure because the error occurs again after the passage of time.